Automobile clutch-operating mechanism



2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS BYv v March 5, 1929.

E. T. HABNEY AUTOMQBILE CLUTCH OPERATING mowers;

Filed vJune 16, 1'927 ET. HARNEY AUTOMOBILE CLUTCH OPERATING MCHANISMFiled June 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEYS .a yw e R.u m@ @Nl KN EN El VI m7 V m J..... U .lo r .QNANH MM m -m .mm

WITNEssEs Jwwef vli'atented Mar. 5, 1329., i

UNITED l:-

Vminima '.r. Hamlin?, or Ganwoon, :New massif.

hUmoMoBrLE CLUTCH-OPERATING mncnainsm.

' This invention relates to automobile clutch operating mechanisms, anobject of the invention being to provide improved means whereby greatpower is accomplished through aminimum of energy applied to the. trans--forming of a partial rotary movement into a vlongitudinal movement tooperate the A further Objectis to provide7 an improved clutch operatingmeans at opposlte sides of a transmission whereby the transmission iscutoff from both the'sourceof power and the rear axle, and the gears ofthe transmission are not turned during Vcoastlng or while idling theenglne, such a means resulting 1n preventing stripping of the gearsduring the gear shift operation.

Tith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out inthe claim. j

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a less diagrammatic,.illustrating my improved invention as applied to an automobile;

Figure 2 is a view mainly in longitudinal section through the shaftingand clutches, the view being on a somewhat enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a view, mainlyin side elevation,

. -of myimproved mechanism, partsl being in f 5 5 of Figure 3;

between the shafts '5 and-8 yand enclosing any desired arrangement ofgear transmission section and parts broken away for clearness; Figure ,4is a. view ysimllar to Figure 3 Y showing the parts in differentpositions;

Figu're'5 is a viewl in section on the line i Figure 6 isa view 1nelevation of one ofl lthe clutch operating devices.

1 represents an automobile, and 2 the chas-` sis thereof.` ,3 representsIa clutch member interposed between the drive shaft 4 of the engine anda shaft.5 alined therewith. 6'

represents a clutch member .on a shaft 7, which is adapted to operatethe differential gears, and the rear axle of the automobile, such ascommonly of said shafts 4, 5, 7 and 8 are in alinement lwith atransmission gear casing 9 interposed Short shafts .11 l operativelyconnected -to the transmission gearingextend from the casing 9'and arecoupled to the shafts 5 and Application led June 16,

broken plan View, more orv employed. This shaft 7 is in alinement withkashaft 8, and, in fact, all

1927; serie01 No. 199,349.

8, respectively, but this coupling is such as to permit a slidinglongitudinal movement of the shafts `5 and 8, said shafts 5 and 8.having annular anges 12 at their ends witl1` springs, 60

13 on the shafts 11 interposed between the gear transmlssion and theshafts 5 and 8, respectively, tending to force said shafts in oppositedlrections, or, in other words, in a direction to cause the clutchmembers to engage.

' The clutch members 3 and A6 areengaged by movable clutch members 3 and6, respective-v ly, which are securedgto the shafts 5 and8,respectively, andI wouldl have it understood that I do not limit myselfto any particular form of clutchas any desired form may be emone ywillapply alike Both pairs of sleeves 15 and 16 are provided with laterallyprojecting pins 18 which are positioned in the bifurcated ends ofcrossheads 20.' These crossheads are secured on tubular shafts '21 andmounted to turn on fixed rods or supports 22 secured to the chassis 2,and each of said tubular shafts 21 has a y crank arm 23 thereon.

The crank arms 23 are connected by a rod or link 24 so as to compel themto operate ,in unison. A clutch pedal 25 isfsecured to one of^thetubular shafts 21 so as to permit the clutch to be operated by the footofthe driver, as is customary in the art..

The operation is as follows:

Figuren 3 shows the parts 1n normal'posietion. When the operatordepresses the clutch pedal 25 it causes both of the crossheadffsfQU toswing to theposition shown in Figure 4,' this movement being controlledby the `coupling of said-parts through: the medium of the crank arms 23and the rod 24. As the .crossheads swing they will cause the pins` 18tol move away from eachother, thus imparting a partialturning movementto the members 15 and 16, and due to the cam engaging faces l17 of saidmembers or sleeves 15 and 16, the

in the art. When the pressure on thel clutch pedal is released, thesprings 13 will return the parts to normal position With the clutch ,A

members in engagement.

It will be noted-that by reason of the move-y ment of the crossheads210, the operating members 15 and 16 are given a partial turningmovement, which movement transmits a longitudinal movement to the shafts5 and 8 carrying the movable clutch members. A very slight pressure onthe clutch pedal Will serve to releasevthe clutches as an enormousleverage is had'to overcome the pressureof the springs.

While I have illustrated what I believe to be a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is obvious that various changes and `alterations mightbe made inthe general form of the parts described without departingfrom' my invention and hence I do not limit myself to the precisedetails Aset forth but consider myself at liberty to make such changesand alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of theappended claim.

I claim:

A,clutch operating mechanism, including a gair of sleeves having camfaces at their en s, a spring holdingsaid sleeves in engagement witheach other, a clutch adapted to be engafg'ed by the longitudinalmovement ofy one -of said sleeves, and means for turning said sleeves inopposite directions to release the' clutch, said means including pins onthe sleeves, a crosslieadoperatively connected to the pins and a clutchpedal operatively connested to the crosshead.

EMMET T. HARNEY.

